Rain or shine, summer or crisp, snow-blanketed winter, Montréal is always game to play. In fact, the colder season is a unique expertise we share with only a handful of world-class sports cities in the global north. With our weather extremes come well-honed skills in created four-season infrastructure, not to mention a hardiness of character that will ensure audiences will stop at nothing to enjoy entertainment. Here are five reasons Montréal is a winter sports city par excellence.
The infrastructure
As a hockey, skating, skiing and snow-boarding town, Montréal is replete with specialized, sport-specific sites include options for every discipline and every level of competition. No matter how large or small the event, Montréal has a winning venue that participants will love, starting with the skating rinks at the Bell Centre (which can fit audiences of 21,000 people), Verdun Auditorium (4,114 people) and the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex (12,000 people). There are also exterior sites that are as vast as they are specialized, including at the Olympic Park and Parc Jean-Drapeau.
The chops
As host city for the 1976 Summer Games, Montréal’s Olympics legacy lives on not only through venues constructed at the time and constantly upgraded since, but also in its heart as a world-class city of sport. There’s no scale of event that is too grand for Montréal, whether it’s international winter sports competitions like the ISU World Figure Skating or countless matches of the NHL. Nor is there a limit in terms of creativity: just look at the amazing annual Montréal Ice Canoe Challenge, or Apik, another annual event in February that turns bustling Rue Saint-Denis into an urban ski hill and the site of snowboarding and skiing competitions featuring renowned athletes, free fun, pop-up winter sports shops and outdoor dining for all to enjoy.
The culture
Events like Apik make the connection between the city’s array of cultural festivals, thriving foodie scene and enviable creative savvy with sports events. In Montréal can seamlessly integrate DJs, concerts, fashion, marketplaces and murals, lending them a unique cultural spin that heightens the emotional impact of an event. We specialize in urban sports and are a proud epicentre of sports festivals — in other words, we’ll always be looking to make your event do more.
The crowds
One look at events like the internationally acclaimed Igloofest, an outdoor winter dance festival founded in 2007 that draws crowds of thousands, will tell you how Montrealers react to winter. The cold months are just another reason to celebrate the city, whether it’s with outdoor exhibitions, high-tech light shows downtown, open-air Holiday markets, twinkly skating rinks and mountain hiking trails. Once you’ve got the key to dressing warm (it’s all about layering!), the winter wonderland is your oyster.
The experts
Many cities have great infrastructure, but our ability to play (and organize) as a team that differentiates Montréal from other destinations. Sports Events Montréal (SEM) is a specialized team within Tourisme Montréal works closely with a vast network of stakeholders in the fields of sports, event management and hospitality to scout, bid and act as first point of contact to Montréal’s thriving sports and events ecosystem. We strive to provide you with tailor-made solutions to ensure that your Montréal sports event is successful, enriching and unforgettable.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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